In many ways, Jan Blachowicz would probably rather forget all about 2023 and 2024 as he heads into the New Year.

His lone appearance in 2023 ended with a disappointing split decision loss to Alex Pereira, who went onto capture the UFC light heavyweight title one fight later. Blachowicz was then expected to face Aleksandar Rakic in a rematch in 2024 but he ended up having double-shoulder surgery, which ultimately cost him the entire year.

“After surgery, rehabilitation was very hard for me,” Blachowicz revealed when speaking to MMA Fighting. “I didn’t expect it was going to be so hard. I had a couple of surgeries before this but this one was the hardest one. I almost cried when I did the physical therapy. Because I don’t feel that something happened, coming back to [being] healthy.

“But after six months, something happened. I come to the gym and I started feeling that my shoulder started working again very good. I was very happy then. I needed two more, three more weeks and they finally started working much better than before the surgery.”

Blachowicz says the shoulder surgery wasn’t addressing one particular injury but rather a lifetime of wear and tear on his body. It was the longest layoff of his entire career and the now 41-year-old Polish powerhouse admits it was also his toughest.

That said, Blachowicz knew the surgery was necessary because his strength was starting to diminish as a result of his banged up shoulders. Now months removed from the surgery, the former UFC light heavyweight champion feels better than ever so as much as it cost him time in the cage, he’s coming back feeling like a new man.

“Now they are perfect,” Blachowicz said about his shoulders. “They are never going to be like they were five or six years ago but they are much better than they were before surgery.

“Two months ago, one month ago, something like this. Now I feel it’s time to come back for real. Now I’m ready. I can do everything. When I come to the gym and do sparring sessions with my friends, now I feel I’m coming back. So I’m happy.”

Blachowicz returns at UFC London in March where he takes on rising star Carlos Ulberg in a pivotal matchup at 205 pounds. A constant threat near the top of the division, Blachowicz has been gunning for another title shot ever since he lost the belt but his last two appearances didn’t give him the results he felt he earned.

He fought to a razor-close split draw with Magomed Ankalaev in 2022 in a fight that was supposed to crown a new 205-pound champion. Blachowicz then suffered a similar fate with his split decision loss to Pereira and he definitely hasn’t forgotten about either fight.

In fact, Blachowicz is using those losses as fuel to the fire as he prepares to return in March because deep down he knows he should have won both of those fights against Pereira and Ankalaev.

“I want to remind people how tough I am,” Blachowicz said. “Because I think people forget that I won against Alex Pereira. He just won because the referee helped him, in my opinion. I have a draw with [Magomed] Ankaleav, those are the most dangerous fighters in our division right now. I think people just forgot about me.

“I’m not surprised because I stopped. One and a half years, I’m not fighting so this is where I will remind them about the legendary Polish power to the people in the whole world.”

Since taking Pereira to that split decision, Blachowicz watched his former foe reach new heights as champion with three straight title defenses during a busy and prosperous 2025. In many ways, Pereira has become one of the biggest stars on the entire UFC roster after he spent the past year knocking out Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka and Khalil Rountree Jr.

Blachowicz promises there’s no jealousy or envy from him when it comes to Pereira’s immense success since they fought but it’s the one rematch he wants more than anything else in the world.

“Of course, I have a lot of respect for him and what he’s done but this doesn’t change anything,” Blachowicz said. “I want a rematch against him and after this fight — I’m focused on this fight right now — but if I win and I believe I’m going to win the fight, the next one will be against him. I deserve this rematch, like nobody else in this division.”

Right now, all signs are pointing towards Pereira facing Ankalaev sometime in early 2025, although there’s been no official announcement about the matchup.

As long as he gets the winner after his fight against Ulberg in March, Blachowicz doesn’t really care too much about who’s holding the title because he has something to prove against either of them.

“For me, if Pereira wins, it’s good for me because I deserve the rematch,” Blachowicz. “If Ankalaev wins, we’ve got [history] so also we have some business to do. It’s also good to take the rematch against Ankalaev.”

While he doesn’t really care who wins, Blachowicz definitely leans towards Pereira retaining his title, especially if Ankalaev approaches that fight in the same way he did with his recent win over Rakic at UFC 310.

On that night, Ankalaev won a clear cut decision but it wasn’t a jaw-dropping performance by any means and Blachowicz knows for a fact that won’t be enough to get through somebody as dangerous as Pereira.

“If Ankalaev is going to fight against Pereira like he did in his last fight, he’s going to lose,” Blachowicz said. “This is my opinion. If he’s going to be in this shape, this mentality with this way how he’s fighting right now, he’s going to lose. He won, congratulations to him. But I almost slept [during] this fight.”